Assistant Professor in Urban and Regional Planning - University of Florida

Assistant Professor

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning https://dcp.ufl.edu/urp/  within the University of Florida’s College of Design, Construction and Planning https://dcp.ufl.edu/ invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-accruing faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin in August 2025. 

The Department encourages applications from candidates with expertise in urban design and technology. The Department has particular interest in candidates whose work looks to the future, engages with ethical concerns, and incorporates geospatial, visualization, and urban analytic technologies. Examples of ethical concerns include health and well-being, social justice, climate change resilience, environmental sustainability, and community engagement. Example technologies include geographic information systems, geoAI, urban AI, generative urban design, smart cities, coding platforms, virtual reality, 3D modeling, and graphic design software. A preferred candidate would also engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, bring professional experience, and have interest in relating their work to Florida communities.

Key Responsibilities

The selected candidate will conduct research and publications commensurate with a tenure-track position and be entrepreneurial in obtaining research grants. The candidate should have an interest in collaborating with researchers in centers across and beyond the College (see below).

The position requires teaching a total of four courses per year (two in fall and two in spring), which may be graduate and upper-level undergraduate courses delivered in-person and online, in the candidate’s areas of expertise and in general planning topics. Anticipated courses include urban design for planners, introductory- to advanced-level geographic information systems, and planning studio. The successful candidate should have a well-developed pedagogy that includes methods to engage a multicultural student body.

The candidate would also be expected to conduct community outreach and service consistent with the missions of the Department and the land-grant University.

The Department  

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning consists of a collegial faculty of thirteen core members and an additional thirteen members affiliated with research centers and other academic programs. Our faculty is among the most productive in the College and consistently attracts the highest amount of research funding, with close to $3 million in new grants secured in the past year. We foster a family friendly environment and promote career development at every level, including mentorship of junior faculty.

The Department, founded in 1975 and first accredited in 1978, offers a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP), a PhD concentration with STEM designation, a graduate minor, an undergraduate minor, and a combined (4+1) bachelor-master’s degree. The Department’s fully-online MURP was the country’s first and remains the only accredited such program. In 2023, the MURP program (campus and online) was ranked 22^nd in the nation, sixth in the South, and the 10^th largest by enrollment. The Department recently launched a graduate certificate and a Master of Science in Urban Analytics (MSUA).

The School and College

As one of the two units in the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, the Department of Urban and Regional Planning has a strong relationship with the Department of Landscape Architecture, as well as other units in the College, which include Architecture, Construction Management, Interior Design, Historic Preservation, and Sustainability and the Built Environment. The School and College are home to a range of research institutes and centers, including the GeoPlan Center, the Center for Health and the Built Environment, the Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, and the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience.

The University of Florida

The University of Florida is ranked #6 among the nation’s public universities according to the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2024 list. As the flagship university of the state of Florida, and as a major land-grant research university in the Association of American Universities (AAU), the University offers many opportunities for faculty to develop a national and international reputation for research on issues that showcase Florida and the Southeastern United States as a living laboratory, and to shape the next generation of planning, design, and urban analytics professionals. Opportunities exist for cross-disciplinary appointments and collaboration, such as with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (including the Department of Geography), the College of the Arts (including the Digital Worlds Institute), UF’s six health-related colleges on campus, the School of Natural Resources and Environment, the Water Institute, and the Florida Climate Institute. In addition, the University’s AI initiative includes access to Nvidia’s HiPerGator supercomputer.

The Campus and Gainesville

The College is located on the University’s historic main campus, which is characterized by gothic brick buildings and oak trees. The broader campus boasts world-class museums, a performing arts center, a childcare center, and a nationally ranked hospital complex. Situated within the city of Gainesville, the campus is surrounded by historic neighborhoods and a vibrant downtown, and the campus connects to the larger community and beyond by over one hundred miles of bike paths, a regional transit system, and a regional airport. The Gainesville metropolitan area within Alachua County is home to 280,000 residents and serves as the commercial, cultural, educational, and medical center of the north central Florida region. Alachua County schools are highly rated and offer a variety of specialized programs. The County’s nature parks, waterways, and freshwater springs provide nature-lovers with abundant outdoor activities, and the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and large cities (Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville) are all within a two-hour drive.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Compensation includes a full benefits package with health insurance, retirement options, and paid leave. The University has a dual career academic hire program.

The candidate must have a PhD in urban and regional planning, landscape architecture, architecture, urban studies, geography, or a related field.

The PhD must be completed prior to the start date of August 16, 2025. An ABD at the time of interviews will be considered with a letter from the candidate’s supervisor confirming the candidate’s date of graduation.

A successful candidate should have a demonstrated track record or potential to publish in peer-reviewed journals and attract extramural research grants, particularly nationally competitive grants; favorable experience with student-centered classroom instruction and an interest in incorporating online modalities; and a willingness to serve the academy, the profession, and communities. Professional planning or urban design experience is desired, with AICP or other relevant credentials preferred.

To be considered, submit a complete application with the following:

• Letter of interest inclusive of your
• Vision for the roles that urban design and technology, and planning, will play in the future, and how you expect your work to contribute to this vision.
• Research agenda, including completed projects, accrued funding, and research and publication goals.
• Teaching philosophy and pedagogies, a list of courses of interest in teaching, a list of courses taught including evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., teaching evaluations), and instructional trainings and certifications received.
• Academic leadership, professional experience, and community service in relation to future academic goals.
• Writing sample demonstrating research interests and strengths, and/or a portfolio of relevant research, design/creative, or professional work.
• Curriculum vitae.
• List of three references, including affiliations, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Interested applicants must apply online at https://jobs.ufl.edu using the requisition number 533290.

To ensure full consideration, a complete application should be submitted by November 17, 2024. Applications received after this date may be considered at the discretion of the search committee and/or hiring authority. Review of complete applications will begin upon receipt and will continue until the position is filled.

Three letters of reference will be required for shortlisted candidates. Submittal instructions will be provided upon notification.

Inquiries can be sent to the search committee chair, Dr. Kathryn Frank, kifrank@ufl.edu.

If accommodations due to a disability are needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD). Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida's Sunshine Law.

All candidates selected for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a review of criminal records, reference checks, and verification of education.

The selected candidate will be required to provide official transcripts to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered "official" if a designation of "Issued to Student" is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/